Whispers

*This has been the most insane week ever. Meetings everyday after school, Math & Science Night after school on Tuesday, and I completely lost my voice yesterday and taught with a whisper. But it was a GREAT week.

*Science night was one of the highlights of my week. We had the local weather man come for an assembly that afternoon to get the kids excited. "Mrs...this is SO fun!"  We were even on TV! Email me and I'll send you the link! Our med school friends and their spouses volunteered in a "doctor" room. We made skeletons out of pasta and red twizzlers, they got to dress up in scrubs and other doctor tools to get their pictures taken, and get their heartrates moving. It was so fun to see our friends interacting with the kids I love so much. The kids were in heaven to have so many cool young people in one room. The school had robots, animals, a star lab, etc. and our room was extremely popular. Exhausting but worth it.

*One image that sticks with me this week is one of my hilarious little kids walking down the hallway. Her hair was EVERYWHERE, a toothless smile, shoes untied, holding up her pants, dragging her backpack and jacket behind her...walks up to me and says: "Morning Mrs..." and gives me a big hug. Makes these insane weeks seem very calm.

*One of my families does not live within walking distance and does not have a car, so I went to pick them up for science night. The kids were waiting at the door of their apartment building jumping up and down screaming "She came! She's here! We get to go! YESSSSSS!" On the way in the car, they told me about how when people shoot guns in their playground, they have to run inside as fast as they can. But they're really fast so they don't get hurt. People asked me if I was scared to go pick them up in that area, my answer was: the kids walk and play there everyday.

*I woke up yesterday morning with NO voice. I am not sick and feel fine, but I could not talk above a whisper. I jumped on my treadmill to try to loosen up my throat, drank hot tea, took a hot shower, but nothing worked. I was a little worried about how I was going to teach all day, run a fall party and take my kids to an assembly without a voice. Plus, 2 of the other K teachers had a sub that day! It was hilarious to see my kids' faces when I whispered "Good Morning!" to them. All morning, they all whispered back to me. It was kind of peaceful...My husband and I went out to dinner and to the Goodwill to pick up some more things for our costume. I never realized how much I talk. It was refreshing to listen to him the whole night instead of hear my own voice.

"Mrs. Want to hear another joke? There was this truck, and it threw up! hahahaha" Um? :) ha

*I went to visit a mother yesterday who requested that I come talk to her in person about her daughter. She confided some serious things in me. We ended by hugging and talking about how the Lord provides us a father figure when we don't have one we want to know. I had to deal with another issue with a child at school yesterday as well. Worried about the safety of my kids. My 5 year olds have experienced more than any adult should EVER have to. I know it's not biblical or of the Lord to hate. But I hate men who hurt their children. The greatest ministry a man can have is to be a good father. We need more male role models in the areas of poverty. It makes me sick.

*I"m kind of glad I can't talk today, because I really need time to be quiet and process.

*We are having a Halloween Party tonight to thank the med students for coming to Science Night. I'm making all the dips and goodies. Every year, my husband and I dress up as a fun cartoon couple. He kind of carried the costume this year because I have been so busy. It is going to be so fun.

*Warning: A little cheesy. I used to watch the movie Freedom Writers or The Blind Side and wanted to give up my life like that and devote myself to kids in need. But I always vowed to myself that I would still have a life. Well, the truth is, my job has consumed my life. It's not just the long hours, frozen meals, but even on the weekends, I am thinking about these really hard issues my kids are facing. I'm processing all the time. I'm just really thankful for my husband who is so understanding and cares about these kids just as much as I do. He lets me spend money on them all the time, and understood when our date was pushed back an hour last night because I had to go visit a family. I'm just really thankful for him.

*I love seeing the lights turn on for my kids. We have started to read books in my small groups that they take to the library center and read to themselves. The kids are really reading. The kids are stretching out sentences. "I cllt mune" (I collect money). "I play hd and sek" ( I play hide and seek). I've never taught Kindergarten, but the improvement I've seen baffles me. They are SO excited to learn, so it is SO fun to teach them.

*3 day weekend!!!!! The only thing better than a 3 day weekend is a 4 day work week! WOOHOO!
:)